Intero Real Estate expands into Hollister branch

A newly formed real estate company has opened in San Benito
County, expanding services already available in Gilroy, Morgan Hill
and the San Jose area.
A newly formed real estate company has opened in San Benito County, expanding services already available in Gilroy, Morgan Hill and the San Jose area.

The Hollister branch of Intero Real Estate Services moved into its 4,500-square-foot facility at 330 Tres Pinos Road Monday. The office employs 21 agents, although the branch office has a capacity for 50 employees, according to President and CEO Gino Blefari.

Combining its six branches – including temporary offices in San Jose, Cupertino and Los Gatos – Intero’s inventory of real estate as of Dec. 20 included a dollar volume of more than $126 million.

Plans to launch the company started in early August, Blefari said.

The Morgan Hill flagship office experienced immediate success in October and already earned the No. 1 market share of any office in the southern Santa Clara County region, Intero officials said.

Gilroy’s 22 agents are working from an interim office while their new facility with a capacity for 55 awaits completion in April.

“Intero Hollister and Intero Gilroy have allowed us to extend our reach to more clients in the South County area,” Blefari said. “We have outstanding agents working in all three offices and their success will allow us to move forward in additional office openings.”

Blefari said Intero’s presence will create a positive economic impact for the Hollister area.

He said the company strives to attract choice agents by attempting to offer a “first class” environment for its workers. Blefari also expressed enthusiasm about the recently finished refurbishing at the new Hollister office.

“Our goal in every market we go in is to get the best location and best facility (for offices),” Blefari said.

Hollister area agents and staff have worked out of a temporary office since Intero started doing business in October. In that time, the local branch sold 24 homes.

Intero selected Hollister and other locations in the South County region “because there was a need,” according to Blefari.

“It’s a great, growing community,” he said. “Many of the top agents in Hollister were excited about the possibility (of Intero moving here).”

Blefari said the cease-and-desist order – a moratorium on new building permits in the city until Oct. 15, 2005 – imposed against the city will affect Intero’s potential business, but only to a “small extent.”

Blefari added the effect of the moratorium will be minimal because the company mostly works in the resale market.

Intero also has plans to open additional offices throughout the Silicon Valley area in 2003.